Rotary or sleeve valve used in combustion chambers



F. M. BROOKE Feb. 9, 1937.

ROTARY OR SLEEVE VALVE USED IN COMBUSTION CHAMBERS Filed Oct. 25, 1933Q3 INVENTOR v N "4 GM iii Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFIQE ROTARY OR SLEEVE VALVE USED IN COMBUSTION CHAMBERS ApplicationOctober 25,

7 Claims.

The object of this invention is an automatic adjustment to take care ofthe expansion due to heat, particularly in large units. As the sleevevalve should at all times be in contact with its surrounding cylinderwith the correct Working clearance, which should be a constant distance,it is obvious that with the intense and sometimes varying heat in thecombustion chamber, there is a greater range of and a more variableexpansion than in the water-cooled cylinder in which it is enclosed.

Thus, if designed for a neat fit at low or moderate temperature, thevalve will over-expand and bind at high temperatures. On the other hand,if designed for the latter, there will be excessive clearance atmoderate temperature, permitting an over-heating and destruction of thevalve, as well as leaking.

In addition the tendency for a permanent expansion from heat, calledcreeping must be considered. While the ratio of these expansions toworking clearancemay be neglected in automobile engines with cylindersof but a few inches bore, in large combustion chambers for turbines orlarge power internal combustion engines where the diameters may be infeet, the consideration of automatic adjustment'is necessary in design.

The invention covering this is outlined in the following specification,illustrated by the accompanying drawing, and finally claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure I is a left hand axial section of a combustion chamber partiallybroken away at the base, and including my improved rotary sleeve valve.

Figure II is a right hand axial section of the combustion chamber, butwith the rotary sleeve valve in elevation and turned through an angle of180.

Figure III is a left hand elevation of the rotary valve.

Figure IV is a section along the line IVIV of Fig. I.

Figure V is a section along the line VV of Fig. I.

For a complete understanding of the above combustion chambers and rotarysleeve valves my previous Patents Number 1,938,686 issued December 12th,1933 and Number 1,960,691 issued May 29, 1934 shall be referred to.

In Fig. I the numeral 6 designates the combustion chamber, having waterspaces 1 for cooling with solid portions 8 to connect the inner andouter walls of the chamber 6, for strengthening the structure and toseparate the flow of water 1933, Serial No. 695,084

as desired. I3 is a spark plug to ignite the charge.

Encased in the chamber 6 is the rotary sleeve valve l, which is cutlongitudinally or vertically leaving an open space or slot 2i throughmost of its length. 2 designates the lower part of the sleeve valve I,which latter part is not cut but a complete cylinder. At the top of 2there is a solid top, or base for i, said top being numbered 3. As shownin Fig. II, the valve I is an integral part of 2 for about 20% of thecircumference, the connection being designated as 22. It may be notedthat at each side of the part 22 there is a narrow slot 9, Fig. III,extending around the valve i to the vertical slot 21.

4 is a piston ring. 5 is the gear fitted to the lower part 2 of thevalve l for driving.

It may be noted that when there are explosions inside the valve 4, andit is heated and expanded, there is no wedge action as there is room forexpansion in all directions. a clearance at the top of the combustionchamber as in the previous patented structures before referred to, butin addition the longitudinal opening or slot 2i in the valve itself,which now, instead of being a complete cylinder is in effect similar toa split sleeve.

As the cylinder walls become larger due to expansion, and as thecircumference is prevented from expanding by the encasing combustionchamber 5, the slot 2! becomes narrower or varies in width with theexpansion of the valve i from heat. Until the slot 2! becomes completelyclosed, there can be no wedging of the cylinder upon the valve l.

The tendency for the walls of the valve l to form larger arcs is easilyresisted by the walls of the combustion chamber, and the elasticity andspring of said valve keeps contact at all tempera-" tures with the wallsof 6 as desired. The slots 9 permit practically even expansionthroughout the length of the valve l.

Base 3 of the valve l rests upon the watercooled bottom H of thecombustion chamber 6.

The lower part 2 of the valve 5, containing no fire and being below thewater-cooled base, has a limited temperature comparable to that of thecombustion chamber 6 so it can be designed for a neat fit withoutspecial allowance for expansion. As there is no fire inside of the part2, cooling by contact with combustion chamber 5 is not required. Hot gasis prevented from leaking down 2 by means of a piston ring A.

For assembling the valve l in the chamber 6, the latter is out along theplane VV, and the part 2 is placed on top of l I enclosing the side WallNot only is there I2. The upper part of the chamber 6 is then placedover I and bolted on. The bolts are designated by numeral 23 in Figs. Iand II and. in Fig. V the corresponding bolt holes 24.

As explained in detail in the prior patents referred to above, the valveI is rotated by a worm drive which meshes with teeth 5 around the lowerart 2 thereof. 7

It may be noted in Patent No. 1,960,691 that there are three portsvertically in alignment above each other. In the present arrangement theslot 2|, replaces these three ports. Thus when the slot 2| registerswith the inlet port M (Fig. II) the combustion chamber is charged withgas which enters under compression. When ignited by spark plug I3 thepressure from explosion is successively discharged at falling pres-'sure stages through the exhaust ports I5, I6, I1, I8 and I9. Additionalexhaust ports may be added if desired or additional inlet ports incombustion chamber 6. Thus when the slot 2| registers with the port 14for charging, an additional port 35 in the valve I can scavenge throughan auxiliary or extra exhaust port 36 in the chamber 6 as in priorPatent Number 1,938,686 issued December 12, 1933.

In Fig. II the auxiliary port 36 is shown dotted in the combustionchamber I.

In Fig. III port 35 in valve I is shown in full lines, and 35 registerswith the port 35 when slot 2| registers with the inlet I4 for scavengingas aforesaid. V

Fig. III shows the valve I alone in elevation with the slot 2| in front.It is also shown in Fig. 11 incased in a section of the combustionchamber 6, but turned through a half revolution.

Fig. IV is a section along the line IV--IV in Fig. I. The base 3 andslot 2| may be clearly noted.

Fig. V is a view in section along the line VV. This is below the bottomII in Fig. I. It shows the internal sidewalls I 2 of the combustionchamber .6 as well as its exterior sidewalls. Gear teeth 5 at the baseof 2 are evident, also the space 20 where 6 is cut away near its basefor the inserting of the worm drive hereinbefore referred to.

Water passes through spaces or channels I from the outer walls of thecombustion chamber 6, through the corresponding channels I of the innerwall I2 of the combustion chambers. This circulation is arranged by thecustomary method of an inlet water pipe on one side and an exhaust onthe other or at the top of the cylinder and are not shown. To preventair binding when filling with water an air outlet pipe 34 to the watersection of II is provided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim the following:

1. The combination with an internal combustion chamber, having an inletport and relativelystaggered exhaust ports, of a sleeve-valve rotatabletherein, said sleeve-valve having a transverse wall proximate one endand subdividing it into major and minor sections, the major sectionbeing split by a longitudinal cut-out and substantially-separated fromthe minor section by a segmental-circumferential narrow slot adjoiningthe transverse dividing wall, the minor section being cylindrical andembodying means whereby the valve is rotatable, and the narrow slotaforesaid serving to permit of the valve major section expanding underheat while its longitudinal slot consecutively-controls the staggeredexhaust ports.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the narrowsegmental-circumferential slot extends approximately four-fifths aroundthe sleeve valve to define a connecting portion between the major andminor sections thereof, and the longitudinal cut-out is open-ended andlocated diametrically opposed to the median of said connecting portion.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the sleeve valve minor section isprovided with a driving gear at its open end, and a circumferentialgroove for an appropriate packing ring intermediate said gear and thesleeve valve segmental slot.

4.'The combination of claim -1 wherein the sleeve valve substantiallyfits the combustion chamber, in the axial direction, and is providedwith an orifice near its open end for registration with an auxiliaryexhaust port through the combustion chamber wall, said orifice being solocated with respect to the longitudinal cut-out and the auxiliaryexhaust port as. to accommodate thorough scavenging of the combustionchamber incidental to its being charged with combustible gas underpressure.

5. The combination with a combustion chamber of a rotary sleeve valveembodying a transverse wall dividing it into alignedcomparatively-independent sections; one of said sections including asegmental-circumferential separation, proximate the transverse wall, anda longitudinal cutout therefrom to the sleeve valve open end; and theother section being wholly cylindrical, and including means whereby thevalve may be rotated.

6. The combination with the explosion chamber of an internal combustionengine of a rotary sleeve valve fitting said chamber and embodying atransverse wall dividing it into major and minor axially-alignedcomparatively-independent sections; the major section including asegmentalcircumferential narrow slot adjoining the contiguous face ofthe transverse wall, and a longitudinal cut-out extending mediallyoutwards from such cut-out to the open end of the valve; and the minorvalve section being wholly cylindrical with a surrounding drive gear atits open end.

7. The combination with the explosion chambers of internal combustionengines of a rotary sleeve valve for each such chamber individuallyembodying a transverse wall dividing it into major and minoraxially-aligned comparatively-independent sections; the major sectionincluding a segmental-circumferential narrow slot adjoining thecontiguous face of the transverse wall, and a longitudinal cut-outextending medially outwards from such cut-out to the open end of thevalve the minor valve section being wholly cylindrical with an externalgear surrounding its open end, and a circumferential groove in saidminor section for reception of suitable packing medium. FRANCIS M.BROOKE.

